Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



PATENTED OCT. 17, 1871A G. MERRILL. BREECH LOADING FIREARM'.

. UNITED S'lyrrrEs PerElvrrv QEEICE.

GEORGE MEERILL, 0E EAST OEANGENEW JERSEY.

VuwPRov'rsll/IENT IN BREEcH-LOADING FIRE-ARMs Specication forming part of Letters Patent No.' 119,939, dated Octoher 17,1871'.

My invention rela-tes to tl'iaty class of breechloading-gnns which has a movable o r sliding bolt, arranged adopera-te as abreech-block; and the invention consists in certain novel features pertaining to the breech 'mechanism and extractor, as hereinafter morelfully explainefh Figure l is a longitudina vertical section of the rear portion of av gun madeaon my plan, with the breech closed. Fig. 2 isasiniilar view of a portion with the breech opemaud illustrating the manner 'of ejeeting the cartridgeshell. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectionson the lines a: a' and y y, respectively, of Fig. Fig. 5 is a rear end view, and Figs. 6 and 7 are views of portions shown more in detail.

In constructing my gun I-provide a barrel, B, which is screwed into the front end of a receiver, G, which latter is hollowed orf bored out longitudinally in line with the bore, and which has also an opening or slot cut in its upper side of suicient length to receive the cartridge, as represented in Figs. l vand 2, these parts being si1nilar' to many other guns of this class in their general character or construction.` 'I then provide a breech-plug, which I make as follows: AThe front part, D, consists of a cylindrical bolt of proper size to till` the chamber of the receiver A, with a longitudinal recess cut in its under surface, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 6. Ihe rear part consists of a similar blt, havin ga cam, F, projecting from one side to. lock into a corresponding recess, 0, in the receiver, as shown in Fig. 2. -To the rear end ofthis part I'is secured a rounded head, having a lever or handle, L, projectingfrom one side. to operate in the usual mann-er. The parts D and I are united as shown in Figs.

1 and 6,'and at their 'point of union an annular recess is formed on' one of them, in which is iitted looselya collar, c, which is part of or attached to the retractor E, which, as shown in' Figs. l and 2, consists of a thin bar itted to lie loosely upon the upper side of the part D, this bar E terminating at its front end in a hook, a, which projects slightly beyond the front end of the plug D, and has its point beveled, as represented in Figs. 2 and '7. This bar E is intended to be formed so as to spring in its length sufliciently to permit the hook a to ride up over the ange ofthe shell in the chamber ofthe gun, there beingv a recess formed in the receiver at the proper point, as shown in Fig. 1. This bar E, being.

thus loosely attached to theplug by the collar l c, moves back and forth with the breech-bolt or plug, the receiver at its rear end being cut away on the under surface of its upper side to form a groove corresponding to the form and size of the bar, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4; `but, being held in this groove, it does not turn over with the breechbolt. A hole is bored centrally through the parts D and I to receive the firing-pin, the front portion of which consists of a straight pin, f,.as shown in Figs. 1 and 6, but which,'near its rear end, is enlarged into the form of a dat piece, h, the bodyT of which projects laterally in a corresponding recess cut in the part I', its rear end terminating in a small projection, b, which prof' jects through an opening in the rear end of the breech-bolt, this end b being eccentric to the front portion j', as shown clearly in the figures referred to,'1 and 6. As shown in-Fig. 7, an ineline', lr, is formed on the rear inner face ofthel c ollar c, and, as shown in Fig. 6, this incline bears against the front shoulder of the ila-t part la, of the firing-pin, and. as the iiring-pin is turned23k with'the breeeh-bolt, while the bar-E, with its collar, c, and incline r remains stationary, it fol.

lows that,` in turning the bolt to unlockrit, the airing-pin is forced back by the incline, and thus the iiring-pin is retracted or drawn back so that' its front en d is within the bolt when the latter is drawn back, and so remains when the breech is closed 5 Ahence there is no danger of the ring-pin hitting and exploding the cartridge inV closing the breech. A pin or screw, l, extends from below up through the trigger-stop, stock, and receiver, as shown in Fig. 1, and has its end Work-- ing in the longitudinal groove c', -in the under side of the breech-bolt, thus serving both as a guide and also as a stop to prevent the bolt from being drawn entirely out. A' small screw, c, is also inserted in the top of the bar E, near its front end, which also serves as a stop by4 striking against the rear portion of the receiver, as shown .in Fig. 2. By` extending the groove t' out to the front 'end of the breech-bolt it will in, and is only connected to the latter bythe collar ,i ts Ifront portieri is freeto rise, lso that its hook a will ride over the flange of the car# tridge and engage thereon as it is shoved forward, the bar either being formed so as to spring sufficiently for this purpose; or, if made stift', it being sufficiently loose where pinned to the breech-bolt to permit its front end thus to rise. At the same time, as the breechbolt is drawn back, the retractor-'bar is held iirmly down upon the bolt by the wall ofthe receiver above it, and thus the hook is prevented from slipping oii' the flange of the shell. In the bottom of the receiver, near its rear end, and just in front oi' the point where the front end of the breech-bolt stops when drawn back, I cut a recess, d, the rear Wall of which is at right angles, whileits front is beveled or inclined forward, as shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that as the shell is drawn back by the hook a. the under side of its head' will drop into this recess, and, striking against its rear or vertical face, will be held by it; while its upper portion being drawn back by the hook, it-will be tilted and thrown ont of the receiver, as represented in Fig. 2, the hook being pressed or held down,"and prevented from slipping oli of the flange of the shell by the pressing upon it of that portion of the receiver under which. the bar E slides, as previously described.

It is obvious that instead of the recess d thechamber of the receiver may be roughened at that point by a series oi' smaller grooves, and made to answer the same purpose, though not as well. The hammer H is located in rear of the breech-bolt, and at such a height that, when cocked, the bolt can slide over it, as 'shown in Fig. l. It is also located centrally in line with the iiring-pin, so that when the breech is closed the hammer, when released, will strike against the projecting end b of the pin, and thus ignite the charge. At the same time, when the breech-l bolt is turned partially over to unlock it preparatory to drawing it back, the end b of thevringpin' will be turned to one side out of line with the hammer, and thus` the hammer cannot bearl l against it While the ybreechis -bei'ng opened-,.1-

/nor can it hit it accidentally until the breech is closedv and locke'd. It will also be seen that by thus locating the hammer the latter will be forced 'b ack and cocked by the act of drawing back the breechbolt, the rounded head of the latter striking or pressing against it as it iis' drawn back, thus saving the usual motion required to cock the gun. v y

By this method of constructing a gun I make one that is .exceedingly simple in its parts-and y operation, and that is safe `to handle.

Having thus described my invention, Whatl I 1. The extractor-bar E secured to the breech plug D by means of the collar c, the latter being provided with the incline r for forcing back the firing-pin, as set forth.

2. The combination of the sliding'breech-plug D, the ring-pin having the eccentric or shoulder l1., and thev ring or collar c having the incline r thereon, all constructed and arranged to'operateas set forth.

3. The sliding breech-plug D in combination with the eccentric ring-pin and the hammer H, 

